Fragments (5.6)

Rate, review & discuss the episodes from the fifth season

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How Would You Rate This Episode?

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9.5 (One of the Best)
6
8%
9.0 (Excellent)
10
13%
8.5 (Very Good)
13
17%
8.0 (Pretty Good)
22
29%
7.5 (Decent)
13
17%
7.0 (Average at Best)
7
9%
6.5 (Not So Good)
2
3%
6.0 (Pretty Bad)
2
3%
5.0 (Just Awful)
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1%
 
Total votes: 76

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J.J. Walters
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Fragments (5.6)

#1 Post by J.J. Walters »

This is the official MM thread for Fragments (5.6). All discussions and reviews for this episode should go here. If you wish to rate the episode, please do so with the poll. The avg. score will be the official 'community rating', which will be used on the episode page (updated monthly).

This thread is also linked in the episode page of the Episode Guide.


Original Air Date: 11/1/1984
Fate deals Magnum a tricky hand when he's asked to protect a psychic from the murder she's seen in her visions.
Last edited by J.J. Walters on Fri Dec 28, 2007 5:54 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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#2 Post by J.J. Walters »

A so-so episode. A little too many psychic flashbacks and imagery for my liking. I do like the spooky ending, however. A dark graveyard with owls and dead bodies is always good for building up the tension. I love how Archie the Used Car Salesman (an always great Kenneth Mars) is evil incarnate! [pic] Pretty scary, huh! Shades of John Goodman in Barton Fink! And Samantha Eggar is always great to watch.
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

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IslandHopper
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#3 Post by IslandHopper »

Flubs for "Fragments."

1. When Magnum finishes his discussion with Laura about taking her case and he asks "am I going to take your case?" the camera cuts to Magnum driving the Ferrari downtown. However, the initial shot is not Magnum driving the Ferrari. The guy driving looks like he has a navy or black golf shirt and Magnum has a light colored button down shirt with a white collar. The next shot is a close-up of Magnum driving with the light colored-white collared shirt.

2. When Magnum races into the ocean to save the drowning boy his sleeves are rolled up as they have been in every shot thus far. However, once he starts swimming towards the boy, and again when he gets out of the water his sleeves are rolled all the way down. I suppose it's possible that the force of the water could have caused the the sleeves to unravel, so this flub is up for debate.

3. As TC and Rick arrive at the beach to assist in the rescue of the drowning boy, the camera shows TC run to Laura who is at the water's edge. Before TC runs into the water to help Magnum you can see that his pants (warm-up pants) are already wet, however, he just got out of the van. I am assuming the pants are wet from the previous takes.

4. After Magnum and the gang pull the boy from the water, the scene ends with Magnum embracing Laura and then the next shot cuts to a crowded beach (supposed to be outside of the KKC). However, in this shot of the beach you can see two girls in bikinis talking with a woman in a blue top, and you can also see a guy walking away from the camera carrying a surf ski under his right arm and a paddle in his left hand. The flub is the fact that this beach scene is from Season 4's "Letter To A Duchess", when Magnum in that episode finishes his surf ski race and deliberately acts like a jerk in order to rebuff Lady Wilkerson's advances. In that episode, he says "17th is still good enough to get the chicks", and whines about not winning the trophy, and calls Higgins "Big Hig." He then trods down the beach to the group of three women (2 in bikinis and the other in the blue top) that we also see in Season 5's "Fragments", and trys to hit on them in a transparent effort to dissuade the Lady Wikerson.

5. After Magnum and Laura talk with Higgins about the rare bottle of wine they leave the main house and the next scene cuts to a head-on view of Magnum driving the Ferrari, in which you can see condos on his left and no buildings whatsoever on his right. In addition, in this head-on view, Magnum is not wearing a hat or sunglasses either. This head-on view of the Ferrari lasts about 5 seconds (as Magnum narrates) and then cuts to a close-up of Magnum driving from Magnum's left side, looking out the right side of the car. Now, Magnum is suddenly wearing his Detroit Tigers cap and sunglasses and on the right side of the street there are buildings that weren't there 5 seconds earlier.

6. When Magnum is getting chased by Archie's ex-wife and her boyfriend in their Cadillac, Magnum pulls into an area with a lot of pedestrian traffic and then he carefully maneuvers the Ferrari around a small building nearly hitting a man and a woman carrying fishing poles. The woman is asian and is wearing a blue tank-top shirt and pink shorts. The guy is a local and is wearing a blue-green sleeveless shirt and blue jeans. Both are carrying fishing poles and the woman is also carrying a white bucket in her left hand. This same man and woman appear about 25 seconds later and almost get hit again by the Ferrari. This flub is similar to the over use of extras in the airport scene in Season 1's "All Roads Lead To Floyd."

7. After Magnum and Laura's conversation in Higgins' study, the next shot is of TC's helicopter banking to the left. Note, in this shot of TC's chopper, the 'skids' (the part of the helicopter that supports it when it lands) of the chopper have an extra fitting that look like running boards on a truck or SUV. A few seconds later the camera cuts to a shot of the chopper looking at it from the right side and you can clearly see that the 'skids' of the chopper no longer have the extra fittings on them. When TC's chopper lands at the sugarmill the 'skids' are again devoid of the extra fittings. This is probably the most common flub throughout the series. This flub occurs in numerous episodes where TC's chopper is shown flying.

8. In the scene in the cemetery, when Magnum leaps towards Laura, Archie shoots at Magnum, however, Magnum's back is toward Archie. Magnum then falls face first, gets to his knees and turns around to shoot at Archie and you see Archie fire one shot at Magnum, hitting Magnum in the chest. Archie then approaches Magnum and Laura while Magnum is on the ground, and before Archie can fire another shot at Magnum, Magnum shoots at Archie, saying "it's over Archie." Magnum reaveals his bullet-proof vest and it shows that two bullets hit the vest, however, it appeared that Archie fired only one shot at Magnum when Magnum was facing him. The extra bullet couldn't have hit Magnum when he leapt towards Laura because his back was toward Archie.

This is one of my favorite episodes from Season 5. It seemed more like a genuine mystery than some of the other episodes. One of my favorite scenes is where Higgins tells the story of when he and Robin finished 8th in a yacht race in 1976, as they lost their jib 2 days out, and Robin broke his arm when a whale rammed the boat and Higgins suffered from a 103 degree tempreture from malaria. Higgins isn't Robin Masters, he is Ernest Hemingway.

Question: There is a painting in Higgins' study of a woman, however, it is not the Queen. This woman looks like she has a beard. I have seen this painting many times in many different episodes, and always thought it odd that Higgins would have a painting of a bearded lady in the estate. In this episode, the painting in question is on the wall of the study to the right of the door as you walk into the study. There are a few scenes inside the study when the camera is facing the door, thus, the painting is on the left of the screen. Does anyone know who this is a painting of, and its significance? :oops:
The answer is obvious, old man. Logic is irrelevant. It's simply Tropical Madness. (J.Q. Higgins)

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#4 Post by J.J. Walters »

:shock:

Wow, IslandHopper! Your ability to catch flubs never ceases to amaze me! As usual, I've added these to the Episode Guide (with full credit given). Thanks!

Regarding the "Bearded Lady" painting in Higgins' study, I searched and searched but could not find the painting online. But this type of thing (trying to find a reference to a painting based only on an image of the painting) is very difficult. There's just not a lot to go on.

Anyway, here's the painting in hopes that someone else can ID it:

Image
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

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#5 Post by grapeshot »

Well, the figure looks almost like those painted by Gauguin, but he used bright, almost fluorescent colors. The colors in this painting are dull and subdued.

Link and Link Gauguin is famous for paintings of Tahiti, which would be an appropriate type of picture in Robin Masters' estate on Hawaii. In fact, I believe there's an episode where bad guys almost shoot up a Gauguin in Robin Masters' study. (On The Fly, season 7). In fact, isn't this the Gauguin that's stolen by the schoolgirls in the first season episode?

The emotional tone is also too subdued and calm to have been painted by Munch, although the figure otherwise reminds me of of his portraits of women.
LINK

I don't think the subject of the painting actually has a beard; I think it's a shadow that the artist painted on her face. It's hard to tell from the too tiny glimpse, but it looks like it's an early example of expressionistic painting (both Gauguin and Munch are considered part of that movement), but I'm only an art afficianado, not an expert. Also, the figure has a hint of elegance about it that says it may not be from that school at all. And, of course, it might be the work of an excellent prop master.

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#6 Post by J.J. Walters »

Hey, thanks for the great insight grapeshot. I got a couple more screen caps of the painting:

2
3

You never really get a good straight-on, closeup of the painting, but it sure looks like she has a beard. If it's not a beard, it seems like a strange over-use of shadow for this style of painting. The shadow almost completely covers the lower half of her face and most of her neck. At the same time, if it's a beard, it's the exact same color as the background. Hmmmm.

Since we're ID'ing paintings in Higgins' study, anyone know this one (also from Fragments, but seen in numerous episodes):

4
Higgins: It's not a scratch! It's a bloody gouge!

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#7 Post by Magnums Little Voice »

This episode was one of the best for me. I know it's a little far fetched but was a great idea for a story and pulled off well buy the characters as usual.
The car chase scene was great and the overall story had a real sence of mystery and suspense to it.

As written above, I also love Higgin's story of him and Robin in the boat race, I look forward in each episode to Higgins storys they keep getting better and better, I dont know how he thinks them up!! :D

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#8 Post by A P Leyland »

Liked this one. Especially because we see Magnum get paid!

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#9 Post by Dervish »

American Idol quickly came to mind when I watched the scene with the lady singing the Star Spangled Banner out of tune.

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#10 Post by lutherhgillis »

This one was wierd, for me. I do not like the forays into the nether world and psychic mumbo jumbo but that's just me. I like how the auditions turn into a freak show for Higgins and we are to believe that it is all because Magnum gets credited for being in charge! That was pretty cool.

When TC takes the gang over to the abandoned sugar mill and Magnum gets out, TC immediately radios in a call to 5-0 and reports a homocide...
He must really trust the psychic because no body had been found at that point.

I salute Island hopper for pointing out the many flubs in this one. Production seemed pretty sloppy for this episode.
Who's Dot Matrix, and what has she got to do with this?

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#11 Post by Jay-Firestorm »

My second review of the day. This one pretty sums up the fifth season for me – watchable, but not exactly memorable.

[rating=8.5]

As Higgins prepares for a telethon to try and save an endangered species of coral worms, Magnum is hired by a woman wish psychic visions, to try and protect her from being murdered as she “sees” in her latest vision. Not bad, but not outstanding either…

-----

This review contains spoilers.

This episode very much sums up the fifth (and sixth) season of MPI – it is watchable, but hardly outstanding, and feels particularly flat when considering some of the great stories that have gone before in the series.

The story is the first of several directed by British actor David Hemmings. Hemmings would go on to appear this season in ‘Compulsion’, and as another character in the seventh season’s ‘Out of Sync’. (He also plays ‘Airwolf’s twisted creator Dr. Moffett, and directed a number of third and fourth season episodes of ‘The A-Team’).

The episode can be considered a ‘Hallowe’en’ story, with it’s “spooky” elements involving graveyards, psychic visions of murder, and dead bodies, and being broadcast the day after Hallowe’en 1984.

The story starts off well enough, and is fairly interesting with Laura Bennett’s visions of death. However, as the story progressed, I didn’t feel it had the good pacing of some episodes. I note that the episode has an unusually high number of writing contributors, so maybe this had something to do with it.
(Also, the opening trailer has a spoiler that it is not Laura’s own death that she keeps seeing, but instead Magnum’s. Ordinarily the opening trailers don’t give away too many spoilers, but this one slipped up).

Higgins’ preparing for the telethon starts off quite amusingly, and has several good moments, but ultimately it doesn’t go anywhere, and the final result is slightly disappointing.

I found it easy to deduct who the real villain was – Archie the used car dealer was given far too much screen time and prominence for it not to be obvious.

There are some good moments in the story - there is a good car chase involving the Ferrari mid-episode for example, but the episode never feels to really live up to it’s premise. I can name far worse episodes of the series, but as with many stories of the season, it’s sadly not very memorable.

-----

Other notes, bloopers and misc.:
IslandHopper wrote:1. When Magnum finishes his discussion with Laura about taking her case and he asks "am I going to take your case?" the camera cuts to Magnum driving the Ferrari downtown. However, the initial shot is not Magnum driving the Ferrari. The guy driving looks like he has a navy or black golf shirt and Magnum has a light colored button down shirt with a white collar. The next shot is a close-up of Magnum driving with the light colored-white collared shirt.
I spotted this too - it's actually a similar flub to the skids on T.C.'s chopper - it is an older stock shot of the Ferrari; the updated model has black squares where the headlights pop-up, and a black grill between them; the older Ferrari has a plain red hood.
IslandHopper wrote:Question: There is a painting in Higgins' study of a woman, however, it is not the Queen. This woman looks like she has a beard. I have seen this painting many times in many different episodes, and always thought it odd that Higgins would have a painting of a bearded lady in the estate. In this episode, the painting in question is on the wall of the study to the right of the door as you walk into the study. There are a few scenes inside the study when the camera is facing the door, thus, the painting is on the left of the screen. Does anyone know who this is a painting of, and its significance? :oops:
I noticed this too! :lol: I can't remember about the later episodes, but re-watching the series in order, this is the first time that I noticed it. I'm glad I'm not the only one who sees it as a bearded lady!
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#12 Post by Frodoleader »

As Patrick Jane (The Mentalist) would say, there are no such things as psychics...
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#13 Post by Danno »

I didn't particularly enjoy this episode... psychic crazies don't go down well for me as the parameters for suspension of disbelief become warped and well, anything could happen... I don't mind cardboard sharks or dodgy stunt doubles but psychics are just one of those things... if she had never showed up in the first place none of it would have happened... Grrr. Somehow implying that Magnum's little voice is possibly a psychic power is lame!
IslandHopper wrote:1. When Magnum finishes his discussion with Laura about taking her case and he asks "am I going to take your case?" the camera cuts to Magnum driving the Ferrari downtown. However, the initial shot is not Magnum driving the Ferrari. The guy driving looks like he has a navy or black golf shirt and Magnum has a light colored button down shirt with a white collar. The next shot is a close-up of Magnum driving with the light colored-white collared shirt.
Also note that in the shot of Magnum driving he seems to be driving at about 1 mile an hour?!

I do like how Higgins is an expert on rare wines though.

This episode is notable for continuing a Season 5 recurring theme of white fedoras as well... :lol:
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#14 Post by robspace54 »

I enjoyed this story, the most remarkable thing being that Laura was able to act on her visions.

I don't think it usually goes like that - the rational part of me starts to poo-poo this kind of thing!
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Suspension of disbelief and the metaphysics of Magnuverse

#15 Post by nha trang »

First off, some humor. The psychic should relate her visions to Magnum as:

Psychic: "It's you in my vision, you're in the graveyard, but then, wait, someone who looks like you jumps towards me, but it's not really you but some freaky butt-kicking doppleganger..."

Thomas: "Don't worry it's my stunt double."

_____________

Seriously though - I loved this episode, rated it a 9.0. It's not a "core" classic by any means, but I almost enjoy these watchable "backwater" episodes the best. Especially when they insert a little metaphysics of Magnum into the mix.

Magnum faces the concept of Determinism or Fatalism, as noted by his reference to the story of the man who couldn't escape death. He decides not to let the insurance company go to the graveyard to investigate the whereabouts of the rare bottle of wine, and chooses to investigate it himself, even though some may say he thereby places himself in great and needless peril, given the (by now, proven to be reliable) visions of the psychic.

However, Magnum's reference to the above mentioned story about death was quite appropriate (and necessary) writing for the episode, as it explains that if Magnum chose not to go to the graveyard, he may only have found that by staying home, to, oh let's just guess and say re-heat a chili dog and tune in the tigers game, he may have inadvertently met with the grim reaper, even perhaps in the guise of choking on said chili-dog, and ironically would thereby have met death by attempting to dodge it (by having avoided the graveyard).

Notably, Magnum chooses to face this dilemma "head-on," and go to the graveyard with the psychic. He chooses to believe in his free will and ability to meaningfully impact the course of events, which indeed he does with the bullet-proof vest. (The friend of time-travelers and friends of psychics alike). Doc from the movie "Back to the Future" would have been proud, seeing as he had a certain batch of Libyians with AK-47s to contend with himself.

Thus we see the great, self-reliant Magnum. He trusts in his own abilities, but is not reckless or conceited, he is attuned to the "little voice" and knows there is an undercurrent of mystery to life, but one that he can learn from.

I'll save further thoughts on the "Metaphysics of the Magnuverse" for another post, as I feel this aspect of the series to be one of the important contributing factors in my love for the show.

and to end with some humor:

The scene where Higgins berates Magnum as potentially becoming the cause of the extinction of a certain "tri-sected" tropical worm rates only second in my favorite comical Higgins-Magnum moments to the episode where Higgins wakes Magnum from a hangover with the ship's bell! :lol:

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